PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Emile Padilla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matt Hughes has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Emile Padilla's chin.

Padilla
vs
Hughes

179 cm
24
178 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

175 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Emile Padilla!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matt Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, George Francis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Padilla closes the distance and clinches up with Hughes, looking for a takedown. Padilla pushes Hughes against the cage but Hughes circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hughes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Padilla fails with a takedown attempt.
Matt Hughes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Padilla gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Padilla changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hughes fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emile Padilla. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hughes stuffs the takedown.
Padilla blocks a head kick by Hughes.
Padilla fails with a takedown attempt.

Hughes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Padilla, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes has Padilla pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Hughes pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Padilla tumbling to the mat - Hughes dives into Padilla's guard.
Hughes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Padilla wants to stand up but Hughes is controlling him.
Padilla is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Padilla utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Hughes stands up from Padilla's guard - Hughes perhaps looking for a knockout.

Padilla gets caught flat footed, as Hughes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes chips away with some ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Padilla looking to control.
Padilla has his hands on Hughes's head, controlling the position.
Hughes slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Hughes wants to control from the top but Padilla keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Emile Padilla.
Hughes stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hughes wants it to stay on the feet.

Hughes moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Padilla jumps guard but Hughes stands there with Padilla around his waist. Padilla gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hughes will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Padilla up against the cage.
Padilla putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hughes in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Padilla tries to pull guard but Hughes holds him up against the cage and eventually Padilla drops back down to his feet.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but Hughes has him pressed against the cage.

Padilla decides to pull guard.
Padilla wants to get back to his feet but Hughes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hughes works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Still in half guard, Hughes seems content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes working over Padilla with some ground and pound. Padilla looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hughes is taking a breather. Padilla says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Padilla trying to hold on to Hughes's head to control him but Hughes postures up.
Hughes lands with a punch from half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hughes seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Padilla is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Hughes scores with a couple of nice shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Padilla on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hughes is defended easily by Padilla.

Hughes gets a takedown into half guard.

Hughes seems to be working for a kimura but Padilla defends the submission attempt.
Hughes is trying to control. Padilla wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Padilla tries to kick Hughes off but Hughes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Matt Hughes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hughes winds up and cracks Padilla with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes decides to return to a standing position.
Hughes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nice sprawl there from Padilla as Hughes shoots in.
Emile Padilla has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Hughes.
Hughes is breathing heavily.

Padilla rushes Hughes and presses him up against the cage.
Hughes misses with some punches.
Hughes taking a breather.
Hughes tries to pull guard but Padilla forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Hughes has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Padilla avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Padilla tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but Hughes turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but Hughes turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Padilla drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is trying to break the clinch but Padilla is controlling him.
Hughes is trying to pull guard but Padilla has him pressed against the cage.

Padilla successfully pulls guard.
Hughes wants to control from the top but Padilla keeps moving.
Padilla is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Padilla controls Hughes momentarily but Hughes frees himself.
Hughes slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Padilla's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hughes in side control, just content to control the action for now.
You can see the frustration on Padilla's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hughes creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Hughes decides to stand back up. Hughes steps back and let's Padilla get back to his feet.
Padilla keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes stuffs the takedown attempt from Padilla. Padilla gets slowly back to his feet.

Padilla fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hughes to the ground. Padilla is now in Hughes's guard.

Hughes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Padilla has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Hughes is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Padilla is aware though and is defending well.
Padilla trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Padilla wants to get up but he can't break Hughes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

No luck with that takedown attempt from Padilla.
Hughes misses with a jab to the body
and Padilla makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Hughes closes the distance and pushes Padilla back into the cage.
Padilla looking to slow down the pace here.

Padilla is trying to trip Hughes. He has hold of a leg but Hughes is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Padilla persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Padilla wants to stand but Hughes is controlling his posture from full guard.
Hughes working a defensive guard but Padilla manages to pass into side control anyway.
Hughes is not content to let Padilla control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Padilla slows the pace down.

Hughes explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Hughes drives through and clinches with Padilla against the cage.
Padilla is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Hughes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hughes is trying to force a seperation but Padilla has the dominant position.
Padilla gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hughes.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
The referee calls for Padilla to work.
Padilla is trying to drag Hughes to the mat but Hughes just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but Hughes turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emile Padilla. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Padilla tries to pull guard but Hughes won't allow it.

Hughes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes gets a double leg takedown into Padilla's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hughes controlling from the top position.
Hughes stops Padilla from standing up.
Hughes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Hughes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hughes prevents Padilla from getting back to his feet.

Hughes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Padilla wants to stand up but Hughes is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Padilla is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Hughes dives into side control.

Hughes decides to stand up, so the ref orders Padilla to his feet.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown but Padilla shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Padilla gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Padilla is looking to stand up but Hughes isn't so interested in that idea.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Hughes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hughes has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Hughes!
An out of breath Matt Hughes thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.